ALG recently secured a win for one of the world’s leading home appliances brand against multiple unauthorized domain name registrations in an arbitration under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). The WIPO-appointed Panel allowed the consolidation of multiple domains owned by different registrants under a single complaint on the ground of “common control”. The Panel held that “…The Respondents targeted the Complainant…apparent from how the disputed domain names incorporate the Complainant’s mark and were set up to display websites selling products that infringe the Complainant’s intellectual property rights.”

Source: https://lnkd.in/dQEWJD6b

On July 11, 2022, the Delhi High Court directed issuance of a non-bailable arrest warrant against a defendant for “continuously and contumaciously violating the orders of the Court” in contempt petitions filed in trademark infringement and passing off suit Ramada International Inc. v. La-Ramada World Pvt. Ltd. & Anr. [CS (Comm) 470/2021]. Plaintiff Ramada International, Inc. is being represented by ALG India Law Offices LLP.

Earlier, on September 23, 2021, the Court had granted RAMADA an ex parte ad interim injunction against the Defendants’ use of LA RAMADA, which was later confirmed on March 15, 2022. Despite the interim injunction, the defendants continued to use LA RAMADA and its variants through new infringing websites and social media posts, resulting in contempt applications being filed against them. On May 11, 2022, the Court directed issuance of a bailable warrant against the Defendant, noting the brazen violation of the Court orders and his attempt to deny access to infringing materials to the Local Commissioner appointed by the Court. Last week, the Court’s attention was drawn to yet another new website from the Defendants featuring the infringing marks, which the Court accessed and perused during the hearing. The Court directed issuance of a non-bailable warrant against the defendant, observing that “the conduct of the Defendants prima facie constitutes contempt of the orders passed by this Court.” The Court also directed seizure of the financial and accounting records of the Defendants.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the final “Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022”, which have come into force on June 14, 2022. The Regulations define “vegan food” and lay down the requirements for manufacturing, packaging, selling, marketing and distributing the same. The Regulations also provide a logo to be mandatorily printed on the packaging of vegan foods.

Source: https://fssai.gov.in/upload/notifications/2022/06/62ac3f9dba33cGazette_Notification_Vegan_Food_17_06_2022.pdf

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported in a recent press release that for the first time in 11 years, the number of domestic patent filings has surpassed the number of international filings at the Indian Patent Office. Out of the total 19,796 patent applications filed in Jan-Mar 2022, 10,706 were filed by Indian applicants and 9,090 by non-Indian applicants. The Ministry has termed this a significant milestone in the Indian IP innovation ecosystem.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1815852

The Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks (CGPDTM) has issued guidelines for ‘Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities’. The Office has stated that it has initiated steps to make its website(s), facilities, systems and processes more accessible, in line with The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016. A nodal officer has also been appointed to address the needs of attorneys, agents and others with disabilities.

You can read the guidelines here.